


Waiting on Bated Breath

by demoncow97



Category: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Belphegor vs Feelings, Confessions, Hanahaki Disease, M/M, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:34:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27932374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/demoncow97/pseuds/demoncow97
Summary: The idea of love related diseases was ridiculous, and the idiots who got them never followed the easy steps to getting themselves cured because feelings were stupid.Belphegor had dismissed the lesson in school, knowing with such unshakeable certainty that they would never apply to him.But here he was, coughing up flower petals in his bed, because he’d somehow gotten Hanahaki disease.The disease of unrequited love.
Relationships: Belphegor/Diavolo (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 49





	Waiting on Bated Breath

The school halls were too loud. They were always louder than Belphegor would like, but this time it was a different type of loud.

The usual type of loud was demons complaining about classes or laughing at something that had happened during lunch hour. The shuffling of feet and closing of lockers were par for the course, and echoed through the building on most days, creating a stream of constant noise flowing in every direction.

This type of loud was less common, but still something Belphegor was relatively used to. Specifically, this special brand of loud came from a single demon.

Diavolo’s laugh carried through the hall, overpowering the rest of the chatter (which had died down exponentially with the presence of the Devildom’s future ruler). Whether he meant to speak as loudly as he did was unknown, but he greeted students and teachers alike as he strolled down the hall. The receivers of Diavolo’s greetings would respond politely, most looking uncomfortable or in awe of the acknowledgement.

Belphegor rolled his eyes. Why anyone would be uncomfortable talking to Diavolo was a mystery, considering the man had done nothing to earn their fearful respect.

To clarify something, Belphegor didn’t hate Diavolo per se, or at least not with the raw boiling rage he’d kept stirring inside him before. With his history being what it was, Belphegor had learned to move past several things he’d kept lodged in his heart for too long. His unadulterated hatred for Diavolo was one of them.

His feelings for Diavolo now existed more in the realm of annoyance. He was like a smudge that Belphegor couldn’t wipe out of his life; it didn’t harm anything, but Belphegor wished he could get rid of it. But despite what Belphegor wanted, Diavolo was not going anywhere anytime soon, so he’d learned how to live with the large excitable man.

Speaking of excitable…

“Belphegor! You’re looking well!” Diavolo exclaimed from down the hall, bounding toward Belphegor with large steps, forcing other students to quickly moving out of the way.

Belphegor sighed.

“Hello,” Belphegor greeted with a yawn.

“Tired as always I see,” Diavolo remarked with a laugh.

“And you are as unbearably energetic as always,” Belphegor countered.

“There are worse things to be,” Diavolo responded lightheartedly.

“That’s debatable.”

The masses of students shuffling around the exchange seemed to retreat in case an argument broke out between the two. Belphegor was well known for speaking against Diavolo when no one else would dare say a word, so the reactions of the students were logical.

But what these students didn’t seem to understand, was the back and forth between Belphegor and Diavolo held no tension or animosity in it. Belphegor simply enjoyed seeing how far he could push the Devildom’s prince.

Belphegor didn’t hate Diavolo, but he refused to mince words and force a façade of politeness like everyone else in the Devildom seemed to.

“Are you heading home now?” Diavolo asked, ever-present smile glued to his face.

“What else would I be doing?” Belphegor retorted.

As one of the few days this week he hadn’t skipped, Belphegor still found himself worn out by the school atmosphere. The daily stress his fellow students exuded was not something Belphegor needed in his life, making his desire to go home all the more obvious.

Assuming that was the end of the short interaction, Belphegor turned to exit the school.

“Excellent! May I join you?” Diavolo asked, but was already walking in tandem with Belphegor.

Belphegor looked at Diavolo incredulously.

“Why?” he questioned.

The small crinkles by Diavolo’s golden eyes looked more pronounced in the too bright lights of the school’s entranceway.

“I like talking to you,” Diavolo said, making Belphegor scrunch his brow in confusion.

Did he prefer the verbal mockery or the bouts of silence when Belphegor got too tired to keep the banter going? Or maybe this was just another set-up for Belphegor to tell him off.

“Also, I have some material to go over with Lucifer at the House of Lamentation,” Diavolo added.

Ah, there it was.

Diavolo wanting to spend time with Belphegor: unrealistic and outlandish.

Diavolo accompanying Belphegor so he could see Lucifer: common and expected.

Belphegor scowled at the admission, if only because thinking of Lucifer was annoying and nothing else. He directed his attention to the path ahead rather than to his travel companion, determined to let Diavolo know that he didn’t desire to spend time with the larger demon either.

“I’m sure Lucifer will be ecstatic to see you,” Belphegor said sarcastically, knowing Lucifer preferred Diavolo staying away from the chaos that was their house whenever possible.

“I hope he does not mind the intrusion,” Diavolo said, although he should know Lucifer well enough to guess his reaction. “I brought some sweets from Barbatos as an apology just in case.”

Belphegor didn’t answer, but caught sight of Diavolo looking directly at him from the corner of his eye.

“Would you like to have some with me before I begin working? We can have tea as well,” Diavolo asked with hopeful eyes.

Belphegor had to catch himself before he tripped at the offer. Breaking his self-oath only minutes after he’d made it, Belphegor looked at Diavolo’s dumb face once again.

“Me?” Belphegor said stupidly, immediately regretting it.

“Yes, you,” Diavolo confirmed, with a laugh that, while just as loud as it typically was, had a different tone to it.

Maybe it was just the small cough from Diavolo that ended the laughter early that made it sound different.

Belphegor paused in contemplation. On one hand, more time with Diavolo wasn’t really how he wanted to spend his after school time. He’d already made plans with a pillow and matching blanket thank you very much. On the other hand, it was almost a crime to pass up on free sweets from Barbatos. Beel would certainly pass out in horror if he found out.

Well, another fifteen minutes with Diavolo wasn’t going to hurt.

“Fine, I’ll join you, but only if I get first choice at sweets,” Belphegor relented, ensuring to make the words sound as begrudging as possible.

“Of course! You can have as many as you’d like,” Diavolo agreed easily.

“You might regret that,” Belphegor warned.

“I will have more made if the need arises.”

Belphegor rolled his eyes at the privilege put on display. Just another facete of Diavolo’s annoying existence. The utter obliviousness at how annoying he was also happened to be extremely annoying. Instead Diavolo just smiled widely at Belphegor like he was a puppy who had just been given a new toy.

All this thinking about Diavolo was making him irritable.

Belphegor just wanted to eat some baked goods and go to bed. Tea wasn’t sounding too bad either right now.

It might help the slight ache in his throat that seemed to have crept out of nowhere.

***

The tea did not help his throat, if anything it’d made it worse. And that had been last week.

If not for the fact that Diavolo had served the same tea to Lucifer, Belphegor would be convinced that Diavolo had poisoned him out of spite.

The uncomfortable feeling in his throat came in waves and varied between a light ache and a harsh scratchiness that had Belphegor reaching for the nearest glass of water. Even when the ache was at its most tolerable, the feeling was unpleasant and unwanted.

The first day, it’d given him an excuse to ditch class, but even sleeping in class was more comfortable than trying to sleep with an aching throat. He still managed of course, but it’d been more work than it was worth.

But, now a week later and a week’s worth of magic throat lozenges at that, Belphegor was feeling no better. Worse still, the initial excuse of feeling unwell was apparently no longer acceptable to the great and powerful Lucifer, who was forcing him back to class.

“But Lucifer, you can’t force a sick person to go to school. What if I’m contagious?” Belphegor stated, irritation on full display.

“Belphie, you’ve been using this excuse all week. We’ve had you checked over and your throat shows no signs of inflammation or infection, meaning attending class should not be an issue,” Lucifer said, the annoyed look on his face a result of a combination of Belphegor’s disobedience and his hatred for mornings. “If it’s still hurting at school, perhaps the nurse may provide better assistance.”

Lucifer looked his way as if daring him to come up with another excuse, until Belphegor finally grunted unhappily and grabbed his school bag.

Seemingly appeased, Lucifer left, making his way to school early for whatever extra duties he had.

“Tough luck Belphie, but the same excuse ain’t gonna work on Lucifer for a whole week. Trust me, I would know,” Mammon patted his shoulder in attempted solidarity.

“At least if you were really sick, you could give it to me and I could stay home and re-watch Ruri-chan’s Cutie Comfort concert,” Levi nodded.

Belphegor’s only response was a grumble about his brothers being idiots, before he begrudgingly followed them as they made their way to school.

At least his throat wasn’t unbearable today. In fact, compared to having to listen to his brothers complaining loudly, the ache was barely registering.

“Are you okay?” Beel asked from beside him, holding a bowl of muffins he was currently munching on as they walked.

“Yeah it’s fine,” Belphegor said, not wanting to aim his bad mood at his twin. There were much better targets for that.

And when they reached the school gates, Belphegor spotted the easiest target of all.

Diavolo stood at the entrance, in his usual red garb, speaking with Solomon. They both had somewhat serious expressions on their faces, which had Belphegor both curious and apprehensive. The only times Diavolo wasn’t smiling was when something truly concerning was going on, so Belphegor couldn’t help but pay close attention to the back and forth.

It was too bad Diavolo kept moving his hand to cover his mouth, or Belphegor might have been able to read his lips.

Any potential eavesdropping was immediately ended by Mammon’s loud yell of indignation at something Asmo had said, alerting Diavolo of their arrival.

With a single blink, Diavolo’s smile was back. Belphegor would be sure it was a mask if not for the way the joy in his eyes matched the curve of his lips.

With a final word to Solomon, Diavolo was making his way over to Belphegor and his brothers. And of course, because this morning wasn’t already fantastic enough, Belphegor’s throat had to start throbbing with a vengeance as Diavolo reached them.

“Good morning everyone,” Diavolo said cheerfully, which earned him greetings from the group with varying enthusiasm.

Belphegor stayed silent, feeling a tickling in his throat that threatened to have him coughing everywhere if he so much as opened his mouth. This was new.

“Good morning Belphegor,” Diavolo repeated.

Belphegor raised his brow at being singled out, but since he’d been the only one who didn’t answer, he supposed it made sense. He cleared his throat as best he could before speaking.

“Morning,” he replied placatingly, putting everything he could into showing how much he didn’t want to be there.

Belphegor could feel his brothers looking on, waiting for him to say something biting to the demon lord and come in for damage control. Lucky for them, Belphegor made the last-minute decision that starting a fight now wouldn’t be worth the trouble. That and the very idea of having a full-fledged conversation sounded painful right now, figuratively and literally.

After realizing Belphegor wasn’t jumping at the bit to rip out Diavolo’s throat, his brothers began to make their way into the school building.

Belphegor made his way to join them, but Diavolo’s voice stopped him.

“Actually Belphegor, I was wondering if you would perhaps join me after classes today?”

Belphegor eyes widened, confused at the inquiry. After sorting through his brain for an explanation and coming up short, Belphegor risked the question.

“Why?”

Diavolo seemed pleased to not have been immediately shot down and responded with bright eyes.

“Ah, you see I have been having issues sleeping these past few nights, and was looking to purchase some new pillows to help. You are the expert, so I would very much appreciate your company and input,” Diavolo explained.

While Belphegor would indeed be the expert on sleeping, he could also easily say that his ability to sleep anywhere might hamper his expertise on pillows. He had no idea how high the head should be elevated when someone was sleeping or anything logistical, so there probably wasn’t a real reason _Belphegor_ had to go. Too bad Belphegor was a sucker for anything soft, and an afternoon testing different fluffy pillows actually… sounded like a lot of fun.

It would be a nice get away from his brothers’ disbelieving eyes whenever he mentioned his throat ache.

“Fine, but you’re buying me one as the fee for my expertise,” Belphegor responded. “And if I fall asleep in the display beds, you can’t just leave me there.”

Belphegor hated that he even considered it, but the ecstatic look on Diavolo’s face was… ridiculous. The biggest baddest demon in the Devildom had what could practically be stars in his eyes as he looked down at Belphegor.

This guy must be getting really bad sleeps if he’s this excited for Belphegor to help him pick out pillows.

“Of course Belphie! I’ll get as many pillows as you’d like,” Diavolo said, pausing to clear his throat with all the excitement.

If Belphegor noticed the slip up of his name, he didn’t mention it this time. The bell was going to ring soon, and he could snap at Diavolo for addressing him that way later, when the demon was looking less happy.

“Whatever. I gotta get to class,” Belphegor said. “If I’m late I’m blaming you.”

Diavolo nodded seriously.

“Yes of course, I have held you up after all,” Diavolo agreed.

Belphegor rolled his eyes at how easy it was to play with the freaking ruler of this damn place. He trudged off toward the front doors.

“I’ll see you after school!” Diavolo called after him.

Belphegor waved a hand in acknowledgment.

He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t looking forward to the afterschool shopping trip.

He’d also be lying if he said the discomfort in his throat hadn’t shot up after the last conversation.

***

The shopping trip had been… an experience.

Diavolo had seemed impatient to get going considering he’d been waiting outside of Belphegor’s class to collect him, but Belphegor had just rolled his eyes and followed the ridiculous demon.

The shopping itself had been enjoyable, not that this surprised Belphegor since he got to snuggle a large variety of soft cushions. Even his conversations with Diavolo had been pleasant, with Diavolo laughing off any insults regarding his frankly terrible taste in all things bed related. Anyone who wanted sequin pillows was not to be trusted, decorative or no.

Belphegor had even put up with the store wide pillow fight Diavolo had started, if only because the terrified looks on the other customers’ faces were priceless. Perks of hanging out with the future king seemed to be getting away with anything, which was something Belphegor could easily get used to.

This was also his justification to why he’d somehow made more plans to hang out with Diavolo later in the week.

If you’d asked Belphegor a year ago if he’d ever willingly spend his free time with Lord Diavolo of all people, he would have had some very specific threats for the person. But the more he seemed to put up with the man’s presence the more he didn’t mind it too much.

Diavolo listened to Belphegor’s complaints on the policies regarding not being able to sleep in the display beds, and laughed when Belphegor tried on different goofy sleep-masks. In turn, Belphegor engaged in Diavolo’s cooing over the cuteness of stuffed animals, and snorted when Diavolo seemed intent on buying an insane number of them so they wouldn’t be lonely.

In fact, Belphegor had become acutely aware of just how much he’d been laughing during their outing, if only because many of them ended with a dry cough. He would have been more concerned if Diavolo himself had not also been caught coughing a couple times. Maybe this was an illness being passed around the school? Well either way Belphegor would have to rub it in his brothers’ faces later. That would teach them for not believing him.

By the time Belphegor was sent home he had three new pillows in hand, a warm smile from Diavolo, a promise to see him later, and a distinct feeling that this outing had completely changed the nature of their relationship.

But any self-reflection on this was cut-short by Belphegor quickly retreating to his room and falling asleep, downing a cough potion so he wouldn’t wake himself up.

The rest of the week passed similarly.

Belphegor feeling worse by the day, but forced to attend classes with looks that seemed concerned but with an edge of disbelief to them.

And every day Diavolo would find him either before or after classes and invite him out somewhere. It was tiring, but Belphegor found himself agreeing to the bright-eyed smiling demon, for reasons he found himself still unable to face.

But if Diavolo was intent on dragging Belphegor to some bakery or an art exhibit, it was because Belphegor had some opinion on the subject that Diavolo seemed interested in. And if Belphegor agreed, it was because he was interested in the destination despite the company.

Okay, maybe the company wasn’t so bad either.

But again, Belphegor didn’t want to think too hard on why he enjoyed the outings with his ex-arch-nemesis so much.

So when Belphegor got home after a trip to some park which had recently been set up to introduce some local food stalls that Diavolo wanted his opinion on, Belphegor was exhausted.

This was more socializing than Belphegor had done in the past year combined, and the persistent cough was not helping.

Shuffling through the halls, Belphegor maneuvered his way toward his shared bedroom, lucky enough not to run into anyone on the way.

Reaching his destination, his eyes raked over the empty room. Beel was probably in the kitchen or playing games in Levi’s room. It was well past dinner time but not early enough for his twin to be turning in for the night, so Belphegor was unsurprised by his absence.

Flopping onto the bed that called to him like a siren song, Belphegor scooted under the covers, adjusting the new pillows he’d received from the pillow shopping excursion into the comfortable collection he had amassed and closed his eyes.

Belphegor released a final yawn and proceeded to fall asleep.

But as quickly as sleep came, it ended just as fast.

A sharp gasp accompanied by a violent cough ripped through the peaceful slumber. Belphegor shot up to sitting, clutching his chest in a means to alleviate the pressure he felt there. His other hand covered his mouth in an attempt to catch whatever seemed intent on crawling up his throat.

It felt like he was choking, but with enough room in his throat for air to slip through to his lungs.

The coughing fit lasted an entire minute, but the feeling was so agonizing it could have easily been an hour. The panic that accompanied the painful hacking was no help, but there was no helping it. This was no regular cough. Belphegor had been sick with a cough before, and it did not feel like this.

Panting to get the right amount of air into his body, Belphegor’s eyes zeroed in on the substance he had coughed up in his hand.

Sitting there in a splattering of red that almost blended into the thing itself, were three small flower petals.

The red petals were slightly curved and wet with what could only be a combination of saliva and blood.

Belphegor all but wheezed, wide-eyed at the sight.

This was… impossible.

Not the fact that he was coughing up flowers, but the meaning behind it all.

Magic diseases were a well-covered topic on the school’s curriculum, and while they had covered dozens upon dozens of the most common ones and how to treat them, there was only one that had coughing up flowers as a symptom.

Belphegor had hardly even listened to that class. The idea of love related diseases was ridiculous, and the idiots who got them never followed the easy steps to getting themselves cured because feelings were a stupidly complicated subject. Belphegor had dismissed the lesson, knowing with such unshakeable certainty that they would never apply to him.

But here he was, coughing up flower petals in his bed, because he’d somehow gotten Hanahaki disease.

The disease of unrequited love.

Belphegor would have laughed if the implications weren’t slowly creeping up on him.

Him in love? Belphegor spent almost all his time around his brothers, with no interest in associating with the other demons at school.

But as much of an expert Belphegor was with self-denial, there was only one real possibility. But that was ridiculous. Sure, maybe he didn’t hate him anymore, but there was no way this was _love._

This was a mistake. A curse mimicking Hanahaki perhaps, or a different strain of it.

Belphegor was not in love.

“Belphie, are you okay?” a worried voice carried through the room.

Clenching the fist holding the petals, Belphegor opened his mouth to say something. To say anything. But only coughing filled the room.

Beel rushed toward him, a warm hand touching his forehead to check his temperature.

“Should I get Lucifer?” Beel asked softly, eyes imploring Belphegor to spill all truths to his loving twin.

But… Belphegor didn’t want to admit what had happened, especially not if Lucifer was going to get involved.

If he told Beel, then he’d have to say who it was, and…

And then he’d have to admit that he was apparently and against all odds, in love with Diavolo.

Which sounded preposterous even without vocalizing it.

Belphegor didn’t care if he liked the way Diavolo’s smile made him feel, or that walking too closely to the other demon made his heart beat a little faster. This wasn’t love.

“I’ll be right back Belphie,” Beel said after Belphegor failed to answer his previous question.

“No!” Belphegor exclaimed, followed by a single cough that he managed to control before it got out of hand.

Beel paused, but his frown deepened.

“I just choked on some water and I’m still coughing some of it up,” Belphegor lied.

And while Beel didn’t look convinced, he nodded nonetheless. The unconditional trust Beel had in him made his heart ache, especially after outright lying to him.

But Belphegor was determined not to get anyone involved in this mess, or at least not until he cleared up this weird mix up first.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Beel asked tentatively.

Belphegor forced a comforting smile to his face, saved by his innane acting skills. Usually these skills didn’t work on his twin, but hopefully this would be enough.

“I’m fine Beel. I’ll let you know if I need anything,” Belphegor assured.

With that Belphegor laid back down and turned so his back was to Beel. He wiped his blood covered hand against his pyjamas, not wanting to get up and arising suspicion.

“Goodnight Belphie,” Beel said softly.

Belphegor closed his eyes, focused on keeping his breathing as even as possible. It was hard, the urge to cough coming and going without warning; none as bad as the attack that had woken him up, but enough to have small gasps escape his lips in order to prevent harsh coughs.

Belphegor did not sleep that night.

***

It should come to no one’s surprise that a sleep deprived Belphegor is a grumpy bitch.

As someone who already spent his days in a perpetual state of tired, the previous night’s lack of sleep had soured Belphegor to the point where even Satan, the avatar of wrath, was keeping his distance in the morning.

The whole coughing up flowers due to a disease that was as bullshit as Mammon’s budgeting ability was not helping either. Hell, Belphegor couldn’t even trick himself into thinking last night’s coughing episode had been a dream, because _he hadn’t slept._

He contemplated spitting in Lucifer’s face and locking himself in the attic to avoid going to classes, but at this point the torture of having a bed available but being unable to properly sleep was almost worse.

So Belphegor locked himself in the bathroom for a good hour, forcing himself to cough up as many damn petals as he could before trudging off to school.

He walked alone, leaving well after his brothers, and at a pace which he knew would make him late. School and grades wouldn’t matter if he _died_ from some flowers who decided they were too good to grow in a normal garden like the rest of their species. Apparently Belphegor’s lungs had better living conditions.

And yes, after a quick search, Belphegor could confirm that the disease was indeed potentially lethal if not treated properly. Some could live for decades, some even centuries, with only a slow increase of flower induced asphyxiation, but there was no explicit timeline. It varied with each person, and was indicative of the unrequited love they experienced.

There was no direct correlation between the intensity of love, because as Belphegor knew, this disease was bullshit, but studies seemed to indicate refusing to accept the unrequited love was known to speed up symptom progression. Which was just lovely.

All in all, the main conclusion Belphegor came to on his walk to school, was that he was fucked and the world hated him.

What he had done to warrant a disease that was not applicable to him, was beyond him.

At most he had an unrequited _crush_ that he had never asked for in the first place.

There, he didn’t deny it.

Belphegor had the itsy-bitsy smallest crush of all time on some oversized puppy dog of a demon, and his body decided to shut down just like that. Maybe Hanahaki was measured in the proportional difference in feelings, and that’s how this had happened. Because going from intense loathing to a silly crush was noteworthy enough to die over apparently.

Arriving at the school gate, Belphegor scowled at the looming building, glancing around for wandering eyes before releasing another cough he’d been holding in. Two more petals stuck to his tongue, tasting bitter but mostly of iron. He spat on the doorstep of his learning establishment before entering.

The halls were empty and quiet, a rare sight for the place.

In this silence, only metres away from his classroom, Belphegor made the decision to forego class.

There was clearly more urgent business in his life right now than the history of the Devildom, and it was most likely doing work in the student council room.

Wandering to his destination with a throbbing throat and legs only barely following his tired brain’s direction, Belphegor opened the door to the student council room.

To Belphegor’s satisfaction, the demon he’d been looking for was already here.

“Belphie? What are you doing here?” Diavolo asked, voice a little hoarse. He quickly cleared it before speaking again. “Is everything okay?”

Belphegor unceremoniously dropped his schoolbag against a wall and made his way to the nearest chair.

“I needed to see you,” Belphegor stated bluntly.

It was true. If Belphegor could disprove his body’s perceived romantic infatuated with prolonged exposure maybe he could fix this.

“Oh, have I done something wrong?” Diavolo asked carefully.

“Not this time, I just needed to talk to you,” Belphegor responded.

“…About?”

“Ugh, it’s not important, I just wanted to talk to you, okay?” Belphegor replied irritably.

Could the other man not tell that Belphegor was ready to rip out the nearest throat and serve it to Cerberus for dinner?

Apparently not, because the bright smile on Diavolo’s face could only be described as blinding. Belphegor could practically see the physical manifestation of the demon’s joyful aura, like the lights in the room had been upped in intensity.

The worst part was Belphegor wasn’t even annoyed by it.

“You’re always welcome Belphie, I’m so happy you came by!” Diavolo exclaimed at such a volume that it caused the demon to cough slightly. “You’ll have to give me another couple minutes to finish this letter, and I will give you my undivided attention.”

Belphegor tutted, and directed his eyes away from the yellow one’s glistening in his direction, knowing despite himself, that his face was red right now.

“Whatever,” Belphegor said dismissively. “I said it wasn’t important, you don’t have to rush.”

“Ah, but I finished that astronomy book you lent me, and wanted to discuss it with you!” Diavolo said earnestly. “Perhaps I could get some sweets brought in for the occasion.”

“What about your letter?” Belphegor asked, if only to get that excited face to stop looking at him so intently.

“Oops, my apologies, I am distracting myself.”

Diavolo finished his letter in under five minutes and had Barbatos show up with pastries in another ten.

Never once did Diavolo ask why Belphegor wasn’t in class, and in turn Belphegor didn’t ask why Diavolo insisted on continuing to eat after he had started choking on his food three separate times.

And without much thought the rest of the day had flown by.

When Belphegor finally left to return home, he found himself cursing.

Maybe this crush wasn’t as small as he’d originally thought.

***

Spending time with Diavolo did not help things.

Belphegor remained in a perpetually miserable state, but at least things hadn’t gotten worse.

The only thing that had gotten worse, was his ability to hide things from his brothers, not that they were hiding their worried glances either. As far as Belphegor knew, they hadn’t figured out the whole _oops I’m dying_ thing, and were more focused on the whole _avatar of sloth not properly sleeping_ thing.

But at least Belphegor had figured out a strategy so he could get some sleep. Not as much as he’d like mind you, but enough that he wasn’t getting shipped off for medical aid.

The solution he’d come up with came in the form of his previous prison, and most isolated part of the house. The attic.

Sneaking off to sleep in the attic had the huge plus of letting him cough without alerting the others what was happening. There was no way to fall into any type of deep sleep with the coughing fits, but it was better than nothing.

Sometimes Belphegor forgot why he hadn’t just come clean to his brothers, but then he’d see the worry in Beel’s eyes and could easily picture the look when Beel learned what was really happening. If Beel found out Belphegor was walking a long road to the gallows, it would break him, and Belphegor had no plan to let that happen.

Their family had lost too much already, and Belphegor wasn’t going to let this add to the burden.

But Belphegor could handle this himself. He just needed some time to sort things out is all.

He’d been reading up on ancient magics and forgotten cures, but so far nothing came close to a solution. If things kept going this way Belphegor was going to have to confess his feelings ( _ugh feelings_ ) to Diavolo, which was a last resort but a resort nonetheless.

He wasn’t expecting his feelings (not love) to be returned, but a firm rejection would help him move on. Or so he hoped. It wasn’t like he’d been seeking this stupid crush to begin with, so if he had the ability to dismiss it at will he would have done so by now. He should just throttle Diavolo for putting him through this whole ordeal. How dare the demon somehow sweep Belphegor off his feet with his stupid face and stupid laugh and stupid kind gestures.

Not that Belphegor was in love with the fool, he just had a rather large crush that he wanted no part in.

Diavolo, to his credit, seemed to be paying for his seduction crimes. Every time Belphegor saw him, the future demon lord looked wearier, with growing eye bags and slump to his posture. Belphegor chalked it up to some sick karma, but even so he wasn’t a fan of a tired looking Diavolo. That was his job.

Maybe the demon was sick? But Belphegor imagined Barbatos would keep the lord locked up if that were the case. Either way, Belphegor hated seeing the slowly weakening smile on Diavolo’s face.

It was apparently worse than he thought, considering Lucifer’s statement before dinner.

“Lord Diavolo has requested my assistance with some matters, so I will not be here for supper this evening,” Lucifer announced.

It could be Belphegor overthinking things, but he could only assume it had to do with Diavolo’s slipping energy reserves. No he was not jealous that Lucifer had been asked instead of him.

It was to be expected of course. Diavolo trusted Lucifer more than anyone.

“What? Ya mean I made this much for nothing?!” Mammon whined, having been on kitchen duty.

“I’m sure Beel will make sure it doesn’t go to waste,” Satan remarked.

“Belphie can have the extra if he wants,” Beel said instead of the excited acceptance that everyone expected.

And damn, if that didn’t show how much Belphegor was making his twin worry than nothing did.

“No it’s fine Beel, you can have it,” Belphegor assured, trying to keep his voice as light as possible.

The rasp from a scratched-up throat was still clear when he talked.

“…Thanks Belphie,” Beel said, but there was a frown on his face.

A tense silence filled the halls, broken only by Lucifer’s departure and promise to be back tonight.

Belphegor stared after him, firmly on his way to see Diavolo, and for the first time in his life, Belphegor wished he was more like his eldest brother.

***

Belphegor wasn’t sure how he hadn’t noticed earlier, especially being subject to the illness himself. The signs were all there and had been for awhile now, but Belphegor just hadn’t put the pieces together until now.

Diavolo had Hanahaki disease.

It was laughable how long it took Belphegor to notice. The trouble sleeping, the half-hidden coughs, the frequent trips to the bathroom, the rapidly declining energy. It was the exact same thing Belphegor was going through, to the point where the only missing evidence was the lack of flower petals exiting Diavolo’s mouth.

But even then, Belphegor had sworn he’d seen the odd petal or two in the trash can in the student council room.

There had been no definite proof that had brought Belphegor to this conclusion, but there was nothing else it could be really. It was the little things that painted such a vivid picture it could be a photograph.

The realization happened during class, where his focus lingered in between keeping a steady breath and thinking about Hanahaki was the absolute worst. He’d thought about how his brothers would deal with something like this.

Mammon would be so obvious that everyone would find out, including the person involved. Asmo would just seduce the problem. Beel would… probably do something similar to Belphegor, not wanting to worry his family. The thought hurt, but Belphegor didn’t regret his own actions.

Eventually his thoughts wandered to Diavolo, the cause of this mess. How would Diavolo cope? Would he hire the realm’s top healers to handle things, or boldly confront the person, offering his surprisingly sensitive heart to them? Well Belphegor didn’t need to imagine when it was so clear that he had chosen option C, do nothing like an idiot.

Or at least with all the time he’d been spending with Belphegor despite the eventual lethal disease plaguing his lungs, he seemed to be doing very little to win over the object of his affections.

Because even more obvious than the fact that Lord Diavolo, future ruler of the Devildom, had Hanahaki disease, was who he harboured feelings for. In fact, you could ask any random passerby and each one would come up with the same answer.

Diavolo was in love with Lucifer.

And as much as the thought _hurt_ and added another level of constriction to his chest, Belphegor would be a fool to deny it.

Diavolo chased after Lucifer constantly, spoke of him with such praise and admiration that Belphegor could do nothing. It made his own feelings feel insignificant, but apparently not insignificant enough for them to go away.

It was Lucifer that Diavolo asked for in his time of need, and Lucifer who would be Diavolo’s cure.

This certainty should be enough for Belphegor to let go of his own stupid desires to continue spending time at Diavolo’s side, making him laugh and teasing his loveable stupidity. But once again, feelings proved to be illogical and the bane of Belphegor’s existence. And it would be feelings that would be his death.

Even through this pain that Belphegor did his best to replace by focusing on the much more physical pain of a bloodied throat and aching chest, he came to a decision. A stupid decision, given how he’d resolved himself to an eventual confession should things not resolve themselves, but a decision nonetheless.

Belphegor was going to help Diavolo.

He _wanted_ to help Diavolo.

He knew this pain well by now, being over a month into it, and calling it unbearable was being generous.

Belphegor couldn’t stand the idea of Diavolo going through it too.

Belphegor was already grumpy and damaged and bitter toward the world, but Diavolo… Diavolo carried so much love for everyone around him. The demon lord cared so much for so many, and had so much hope for a better future. He wore a smile like he was born to wear it, and worked harder than anyone to give others a reason to smile as well.

And damnit maybe Belphegor was in love.

How some rare-ass disease had figured it out before he had was beyond Belphegor, but it didn’t matter.

What mattered was curing Diavolo, no matter the consequences Belphegor would face later.

All but storming to the student council room, Belphegor clenched in teeth in uncertain anticipation.

He had to be subtle here, or he would give himself away and knowing Diavolo, he would push to help anyone before himself.

However, Diavolo didn’t appear to be in the council room today. Or anywhere on campus. Or on the school grounds.

Frustrated, Belphegor briefly contemplated going to the demon lord’s castle, before remembering the whole subtle thing.

So instead, Belphegor found himself in a secluded area of the grounds and pulled out his D.D.D.

This was probably a horrible idea, but Belphegor was already scrolling through his contacts before he could second guess himself. He cleared his throat several times as the phone rang, trying to get his voice as close to normalcy as possible.

“Belphie?” a hoarse voice answered over the line.

There was a pause. The static of the call only emphasized how horrible Diavolo sounded. Belphegor once again asked himself how he hadn’t noticed this earlier.

“Yeah it’s me,” Belphegor confirmed. “I, uh… you weren’t here today.”

Wow, good one Belphegor.

“Yes, I thought I could get more done from home today,” Diavolo said. “I apologize if you went looking for me.”

“That doesn’t matter,” Belphegor scoffed instinctively.

“Well, I’m happy to know I was missed,” Diavolo laughed weakly.

Belphegor opened his mouth to say something… anything, but nothing felt right.

_I want to see you._

“Are you busy?” Belphegor choked out instead.

There was another pause where Belphegor swore he heard some muffled coughing.

“I have a few things to finish, but if you wanted to come by, I would love to see you,” Diavolo said.

And wow, Belphegor knew it wasn’t intentional but Diavolo was making this so hard. But he knew what had to be done. Diavolo had to get better, and there was only one way for that to happen.

“If you have work, I think Lucifer could come by and help you out,” Belphegor said. “You could… tell him anything you’re struggling with.”

Belphegor covered the receiver and hacked up a few petals, which looked bloodier than usual.

“O-oh Lucifer… of course,” Diavolo said. “But he’s busy, so I wouldn’t want to bother him.”

Who would have thought Diavolo, who was so prone to doing what he wanted, would be this reluctant to confess. Belphegor was unsure where Lucifer stood romantically, but Diavolo was an easy person to love. Look at Belphegor, he didn’t ask for any of this.

“Don’t be an idiot, you’re not a bother. I’m sure if you talk to him, everything will turn out.”

“Belphie… to be honest—” Diavolo started, but Belphegor didn’t hear the rest.

A gasp came out of nowhere, followed by a series of coughs so violent Belphegor could feel them vibrate through his whole body. Tears stung at his eyes as Belphegor grasped for any breath in between each round of hacking.

He quickly hung up the phone, and fell to the ground, curling into himself as petals and leaves came up one after another, in larger clumps than he’d ever seen them. The petals looked so soft, but the grating feeling as they came up made them feel more like pinecones.

Belphegor wasn’t sure how long the attack lasted, but it somehow managed to feel longer than the year he spent as a prisoner in his own house.

When the coughing started to finally subside, Belphegor sat up slowly to catch his breath. The sweat that covered him felt just as disgusting and sticky as the bloody plants that littered the ground.

Belphegor wasn’t sure how no one had heard him and come running. He wasn’t sure if he was grateful or not. It seemed like a small part of him wanted to be discovered. For someone to be there to help… but no, that would just hurt more people.

Picking up the phone he’d dropped, he saw several missed texts from his brothers and a single missed call for Diavolo.

But there wasn’t much more Belphegor had to say. He’d tried to nudge Diavolo in Lucifer’s direction, which would hopefully help. With his breathing still feeling ragged and his heart aching at the idea of Diavolo calling Lucifer to his side, Belphegor pocketed his phone.

He didn’t regret it though.

He wasn’t going to lose another person he cared about, not this time.

***

Things did not get better.

Belphegor had quickly learned his awkward phone call had been for naught, as were any subsequent actions on his part.

Even more startling was the rate at which Diavolo’s health had begun to decline. Belphegor had only caught glimpses of the demon, but those had been enough to confirm Belphegor’s fears.

It was clear that as shitty as Belphegor felt on a daily basis, Diavolo was doing far worse. The demon lord looked pale and was so silent when he passed through the halls, that students would often jump in fear at the uncharacteristic behaviour.

Belphegor had redoubled his efforts, practically pushing Lucifer at Diavolo whenever the two were in the same space. Lucifer would often give him an irritated yet confused look, but was clearly also worried about Diavolo’s health.

That seemed to be the only positive of Diavolo’s declining health. He could no longer hide it completely, which brought up questions from those around him frequently. Of course, he dismissed them, claiming lack of sleep due to work was catching up to him. On the bright side, this new spotlight on Diavolo had temporarily shifted most of the worried gazes away from Belphegor.

But that was the only positive of the whole situation.

With the direction Diavolo was headed, the whole ‘survive for years with Hanahaki’ was not going to hold up.

It was frustrating and stressful and _terrifying_ but Belphegor was trying his best. This should be easy, why wouldn’t Diavolo say anything? It didn’t make any sense. Diavolo wasn’t the type of person to throw everything away like this, was he?

Classes were just an excuse to catch sight of Diavolo at school to check up on him. It wasn’t like Belphegor had listened to any material in the past couple months, but today the drone of the professor combined with Belphegor’s internal crisis proved too much.

So with a quick raising of his hand, and an excuse of going to the bathroom, Belphegor grabbed his bag and left, making no effort to hide that he would not be returning.

He did, in fact, head to the bathroom, but after a quick flushing of the petals that stuck to his tongue, as had become his daily routine, he would not be returning to class. Only entering the bathroom, it seemed someone had beat him to this very activity.

The hacking and retching sounds from one of the stalls made Belphegor pause when he entered the washroom. He cringed in sympathy, but at the same time, it wasn’t really his place to offer up help to some stranger. He considered leaving and waiting until the poor guy left the washroom, but before he could move, the toilet was already flushing.

Thinking it’d be weird to leave now, Belphegor hovered while the stall door opened.

He’d wait for the guy to leave, get his coughing fit out of the way, and then find Diavolo and recommence operation ‘Get Crush a Date with my Brother’.

But any planning was stopped when Belphegor caught a glimpse of the misery and unsettling ghostly complexion of the person.

Diavolo was not who Belphegor had been expecting, but he looked every bit on the verge of death that Belphegor had been afraid of. Diavolo, clearly not having expected anyone else in the bathroom, let alone Belphegor, tried to plaster a smile to his face. The attempt was so pathetic Belphegor could feel his throat seizing up.

“Diavolo?” Belphegor said, stunned that even with his own close eye on Diavolo’s health, that he hadn’t seen the depth at which the disease had taken hold.

“Ah, Belphegor, I didn’t hear you,” Diavolo managed weakly. “Are you feeling alright? You look pale.”

It was the questioning of Belphegor’s own health that boiled his blood the most. Anger he hadn’t felt for the demon since they’d first come to the Devildom flooded through him.

This stupidity couldn’t afford to go on any longer. Belphegor was clearly running out of time faster than he ever could have imagined. There was no more time for subtle.

Diavolo wasn’t going to die. Belphegor wouldn’t let him.

“Cut the shit Diavolo, we both know you’re the one who looks like he can barely stand, and sounds even worse than that,” Belphegor spat, not hiding the fury he felt.

Diavolo looked startled at the anger.

“I… yes I am a bit under the weather, but it is nothing you have to concern yourself with,” Diavolo’s assurance held none of its usual certainty.

Especially when it was accompanied by a fresh round of coughing. Belphegor watched wide-eyed as several petals slipped through Diavolo’s hand to the floor. What shocked him more was the fact that among the petals, were whole flowers.

Whole flowers only meant one thing.

“Don’t concern myself? I’m supposed to just ignore the fact that you’re letting yourself die? How could you let it get this far?!” Belphegor roared. “I know you’re an idiot but even you must know what whole flowers mean for Hanahaki!”

Diavolo let the hand fall away from his mouth, gaping in shock.

“You know…”

“Whole flowers mean you have a few days, _at most,”_ Belphegor continued. “Why won’t you just confess? I don’t understand! The Diavolo I know wouldn’t just throw away his life. He wouldn’t throw away his life because, what? He’s embarrassed?”

Belphegor was gasping between words but that wasn’t going to stop him. The tears threatening to fall weren’t going to stop him either.

“Can’t you think of everything you’re going to leave behind? All the people who rely on you? Who CARE about you! So stop being so selfish and d—”

The cough that ripped through Belphegor’s body shook him enough to force the tears from his eyes. They fell from his face as he leaned down and clutched his stomach. He could feel the plants too slowly moving up his throat, leaving so little room for oxygen that for a moment he thought he was going to pass out.

But he didn’t. The petals erupted in time for Belphegor to deeply inhale and turn his gaze back to Diavolo, whose surprised and pained expression made Belphegor feel even more sick.

He didn’t need pity. Especially not from a dying man who had a chance to change his own fate, when Belphegor’s became more sealed by the day.

“Belphegor… you also…” Diavolo sounded so small.

Snarling at the cause of his suffering, Belphegor grabbed Diavolo by the jacket and gave him the most imploring look he could.

“Please, just tell him,” Belphegor pleaded angrily. “Just tell Lucifer you’re in love with him.”

Diavolo all but froze at the statement. Whether he was shocked Belphegor had figured it out or was fearful of rejection was unclear.

All Belphegor knew was there was no time for Diavolo’s hesitation.

Releasing Diavolo, who swayed unsteadily, Belphegor turned to leave.

“You know what, I’ll tell Lucifer for you. I’m not letting you die just because you suddenly can’t be honest,” Belphegor said.

“WAIT!”

The shout was the loudest Belphegor had heard Diavolo be all week, and enough to startle Belphegor to a stop.

But the volume and strength of the words had clearly been a mistake, given Diavolo dropping to the ground and gasping for air. The thud of the large body hitting the tile may have been the worst sound Belphegor had ever heard.

Belphegor was on his knees at Diavolo’s side in seconds.

“Fuck, Diavolo, please just cough it out okay?” Belphegor said, unsure where to put his hands. “Please, please, please, dumbass just breathe.”

After a few more painful wheezes, Diavolo managed to cough up some of the blockage. But even then, his body soon became limp on the bathroom floor.

Belphegor, eyes still leaking, took a hand to Diavolo’s neck to check for a pulse. It took much too long for Belphegor to find in his panicked state, but eventually he found the weak beating.

With the confirmation that Diavolo was still alive, Belphegor ripped out his D.D.D and found the number of the first person who came to mind.

Belphegor stared down at Diavolo’s crumpled body as the phone rang in his ear. He could scarcely hear his own ragged breath echoing in the room, nor could he even feel the regular aching of his chest or throat. In their place, there was only blind panic and terrified determination.

He’d promised himself that he wouldn’t let this wonderfully stupid demon die, and there’s no way he was giving up now.

“Belphegor?” the composed voice of Barbatos sounded through the phone.

Belphegor would have cried from relief if he wasn’t already crying.

“Barbatos, it’s Diavolo, we’re in the first-floor bathroom at school. Please, he needs help _now!”_ Belphegor choked out.

There was the smallest pause before Barbatos answered with a single word. “Understood.”

No questions, no accusations, only the slightest tremble in the otherwise perpetually calm voice.

And then Barbatos was there next to him. Belphegor might have been impressed by the butler’s ability to appear wherever he was needed if the situation weren’t so dire.

Barbatos took one look at the scene before leaning down at Diavolo’s side in quiet contemplation. He pulled out some type of strange mask to put on Diavolo’s face, as well as several other pieces of equipment that Belphegor only half registered in his panicked adrenaline filled state.

But sitting by and watching didn’t feel like enough. Belphegor needed to do something. He was about to ask how to assist, when he remembered exactly what he needed to do.

“Take him to the castle, I’ll be back with help as soon as I can,” Belphegor said resolutely, having no right to order the other around.

Barbatos looked at him with an unreadable expression.

Then with a sigh Barbatos spoke. “Please return soon.”

Belphegor nodded, and then with all the remaining breath in his lungs, broke into a run.

He had to find Lucifer.

***

Lucifer wasn’t particularly hard to find, but with the anxiety thrumming through Belphegor’s veins, it felt like a game of hide and seek.

When Lucifer wasn’t in any of the possible classrooms (Belphegor had flung the classroom doors open in his search), or the student council room and wasn’t answering his phone, Belphegor was about ready to start an incident just so his eldest brother would show up.

Luckily when Belphegor had rushed outside to run back home, he’d spotted Lucifer making his way onto the school grounds, a folder in hand.

“L-Lucifer,” Belphegor had called, voice cracking from a combination of exertion and petals caught in his mouth.

Now typically Lucifer had a steady handle on his poker face, or a stern lecture type of face at the very least, but at the panicked address even Lucifer couldn’t stop an almost frantic worry from flashing through his eyes.

“Belphie? What happened?” Lucifer quickly strode over to meet Belphegor, which was good because Belphegor had to stop running or he was going to pass out as well.

Placing both hands over his mouth, Belphegor coughed up as many petals he could.

Lucifer reached a concerned hand out, looking a level of uncertain that Belphegor found he distinctively disliked.

“Belphie, are you okay?” Lucifer asked, although his gaze told Belphegor he wasn’t going to accept the youngest playing it off.

“I’m fine for now,” Belphegor said anyways.

Lucifer looked ready to interject until Belphegor finished.

“It’s Diavolo, you need to see him right now,” Belphegor insisted. “Please, there’s no time to explain.”

Lucifer hesitated only for a moment.

“Fine, take me there,” Lucifer agreed.

Belphegor managed the smallest smile when Lucifer didn’t ask any questions.

“But we’re taking you to a healer right afterwards,” Lucifer adds with no room for discussion.

Belphegor cringed but didn’t argue. Looks like the secrets end here, so much for not worrying his family and solving this himself. But that was a problem for after Diavolo was better.

The trip to the palace is quick but taxing. Lucifer shot him several looks to judge his state, but Belphegor didn’t really notice, urgency overtaking his senses.

The doors to Diavolo’s palace had never looked so welcoming before, the enormous structure usually holding an intimidating presence to it. Stepping through the doors and Belphegor felt like he’d crossed some kind of finish line.

He was here with Lucifer. He could fix this. It couldn’t be too late, Diavolo was the strongest.

But with his goal accomplished, the strength of Belphegor’s body seemed to give way. There was still adrenaline but it was fading, making his panting more pronounced and the pounding of his heart coming into focus.

Putting his hands on his knees to keep himself standing, Belphegor watched drips of something fall to the ground. If he was guessing, it was probably sweat. His tears had been pushed away for the time being, or so he hoped.

“Belphie, I changed my mind, we’re getting you looked at right now,” Lucifer announced, placing a careful hand on Belphegor’s back.

Belphegor shot back up to standing straight, swallowing a cough that threatened to escape.

“Not until you talk to Diavolo,” Belphegor argued.

Lucifer furrowed his brow, but was cut off by a newcomer before he could retort.

“Good, you’ve made it. Lord Diavolo is in his room, he is still unconscious but his breathing is steady for the time being,” Barbatos announced, sounding calm but the rumpled clothes and hair he wore seemed to indicate otherwise.

“Will he wake up soon?” Belphegor asked.

“I am afraid I am unsure at this time,” Barbatos said with a wearied sigh.

Lucifer looked between the two of them.

“Will one of you please fill me in on the situation?” Lucifer asked harshly. “I can fetch someone to assist, but I need to know what’s happening.”

“Diavolo doesn’t need anyone else’s help, he needs you Lucifer,” Belphegor said, a note of bitterness to his words.

“Belphie, what is happening!” Lucifer demanded.

Belphegor looked into Lucifer’s eyes, his own vision looking hazy through the one eye not covered by his bangs.

He opened his mouth.

This wasn’t his story to tell, and these weren’t his feelings being brought into the light. This wasn’t even his life on the line.

And yet, Belphegor did not hesitate.

“Diavolo has Hanahaki disease and is in the final stages right now. He’s been hiding it for who knows how long and refuses to say anything even if it’s killing him.”

He took a step toward Lucifer, pointing a finger into the middle of his brother’s chest.

“He has Hanahaki because he’s in love with _you_ Lucifer!”

Belphegor could feel an incoming coughing fit, but held it at bay. He had to finish, there was no time for misunderstandings anymore.

“So please, even if you don’t feel the same, just talk to him! You’re the only one who can help Lucifer.”

Belphegor panted as he finished.

He noted the way Lucifer had completely frozen where he stood. Lucifer looked like the foundation of everything he knew had crumbled to the ground. As if someone had told him that he was an angel again and that the war had never happened.

How Lucifer was this surprised when Diavolo’s feelings were in no way a secret was surprising in itself. But as long as Lucifer agreed, the shock didn’t really mean much.

But before Lucifer gathered himself enough to speak, Barbatos stepped in.

“It is true that Lord Diavolo has contracted the Hanahaki disease and has been hiding it for some time, but it is not Lucifer who is the object of my lord’s affection,” Barbatos said, with a certainty that had Belphegor’s own foundation shattering at his feet.

If not Lucifer, then who? Belphegor’s mind quickly swiped through all the possible candidates, but none of them made sense. Was it someone Belphegor didn’t know? A fellow demon lord from a different area perhaps? But Diavolo had never brought up anyone when they had spoken.

All those times when he and Diavolo had traded stories, and he still didn’t know anything.

If Barbatos knew, why hadn’t he brought the person here?

“Wh—” Belphegor wanted to ask who it was.

But as he took a breath to ask his question, his airways clogged completely.

The tile floor feels cool as Belphegor hits it, unable to keep himself upright any longer. He pounds at his chest with all the strength he had left, but the flowers had lodged themselves. Clearly holding back coughing earlier was coming back to bite him.

He rolled around a bit, hazy panicked brain trying to do anything to clear the blockage.

Belphegor half registered Lucifer saying something to him, or maybe he was saying something to Barbatos? It was unclear. Oh, no Lucifer was definitely talking to him with how his furious gaze pierced through Belphegor. Was it furious? Maybe not. Things were getting blurry and the ringing in his ears was getting louder. His head hurt.

When did Belphegor get back up to sitting? There was something propping him up, but those senses were starting to numb as well.

It was only when something whammed into the front of his chest that a successful cough escaped his lips, accompanied by a large number of petals.

Not that Belphegor could see how many, since the cough was the last thing he remembered before losing consciousness.

***

When Belphegor woke up, everything was black. He wiggled his right hand and patted around himself to confirm that he was laying on something soft. His body hurt, especially whenever he’d breathe too deeply. That probably meant he wasn’t dead at the very least.

The disorientation left Belphegor confused, but tired enough not to want to think on it. Belphegor noticed the presence of something covering his mouth. But it seemed to be circulating air instead of inhibiting it.

It took another moment to realize that it wasn’t dark, but that Belphegor had just yet to open his eyes. It took more effort than he’d admit to pry his eyes open.

The room he was in wasn’t familiar, but the person sitting at his bedside was.

Diavolo sat hunched over, both hands holding Belphegor’s left which rested against the edge of the bed.

The presence of the demon lord brought everything back. The coughing attack, the panic, the reason he was here. The one goal he had yet to accomplish, which he’d apparently made worse, having brought the wrong person and even forced Diavolo to _his_ bedside.

Was he so useless that he couldn’t help Diavolo or himself?

“What are you doing here?” Belphegor asked, wanting to snap but lacking the energy.

Diavolo’s head shot up at the address.

He looked… better than he had in the bathroom, but the illness was still visible in his features.

“You’re sick…” Diavolo said, the deep-set frown matching the dullness of his gaze.

Belphegor had never seen the demon look so lost, and frankly he couldn’t stand it.

“You should be resting, I’m fine,” Belphegor said, more strength in his words this time.

“I should have noticed,” Diavolo said with a weak squeeze to Belphegor’s hand.

Belphegor scoffed. “It doesn’t matter.”

The room fell quiet. It was awkward, both parties wanting to speak, but both questioning themselves. Belphegor avoided looking at Diavolo. Avoided noticing the warm hand. It just made his chest hurt more.

Even with the avoidance, Belphegor could feel the other’s eyes clearly on him.

There were no windows in the room to look out of, and only sparse decorations to examine. The garbage can on the floor filled with enough petals that Belphegor could see them from where he lay wasn’t something he wanted to look at either. Neither was the cabinet of medical potions against the wall. He focused instead on a bookshelf, noting the variety of book sizes rather than their titles.

But even then, a large book with a flower on its spine still managed to catch Belphegor’s eye.

Was there no escaping reminders of this damn disease? His own body already reminded him enough.

Flowers were officially cancelled.

“Who is it, Belphie?”

Diavolo’s voice was soft and sad when it asked, enough so to pull Belphegor’s attention back to the demon.

Belphegor sighed, making eye contact but only shaking his head as a response.

“Please Belphie, it’ll help you get better.”

“Says you!” Belphegor snapped. “Why don’t you tell me first since you’re clearly doing worse than I am! If it’s not Lucifer, then I’m out of ideas.”

Diavolo looked guilty, as he should. But noticing Belphegor’s eyes on him, he still managed a sad laugh.

“No, it’s not Lucifer,” Diavolo confirmed, as if that was any help.

“Then who is it?”

Another bout of frustrating silence returned with the question.

“I do not have a chance with the one my heart longs for…” Diavolo said eventually.

Did this demon exist to infuriate Belphegor? Because it sure seemed like it!

In frustration, Belphegor pulled his hand away from Diavolo. He wanted to scream. He wanted to cry. He wanted to be anywhere but here. To sink into a bed away from too sad eyes and a too sad voice.

He almost wished for another coughing fit, if only so he could pass out and escape the person he loved being unwilling to try.

“…but, earlier you told me it was still worth saying something,” Diavolo said, face unreadable. “And you were correct, I was being selfish.”

Belphegor went wide-eyed, frozen.

“But if I tell you, then I wish for you to tell me in return, no matter the outcome,” Diavolo’s smile was sad.

With a deep inhale, all Belphegor could do was nod.

He didn’t want to, but if it got Diavolo talking then he’d rip the confession away like a Band-Aid, painful but quick.

The silence stretched on, Belphegor becoming increasingly impatient and Diavolo looking increasingly unsure. He wanted to know, but a selfish part of him was happy to stay ignorant. Either way it was most painful waiting for something, _anything_ to come out of Diavolo’s mouth.

Then when Diavolo finally cleared a rough throat and spoke, Belphegor misheard him.

Because there was no way.

No possibility.

No hope.

“What did you say?” Belphegor asked weakly, feeling a dizziness that was unrelated to his ill state.

Diavolo sighed but held Belphegor’s disbelieving stare.

“I said, it’s you. It’s been you for a long time Belphie,” Diavolo said.

Belphegor probably looked like a gawking idiot, but he couldn’t help it. Because apparently he hadn’t misheard.

It still took another moment for the realization to hit him.

When it did, Belphegor inhaled sharply, airways unobstructed if not still a little tender. And even with his breath now flowing in and out easily, his heart stopped.

He was cured? So that meant this was real? And this whole time the two of them could have solved this weeks ago?

Belphegor was just as much of a fool as the lovable idiot across from him, a fearful expectation in Diavolo’s eyes. This big scary demon lord had been so scared that he’d been willing to take his feelings to his grave, which ironically would have probably dragged Belphegor there with him. But the solution to their months of suffering was so simple.

So Belphegor laughed, freely and without restriction. Belphegor would never take breathing for granted ever again.

The startled look from Diavolo almost made Belphegor guilty for leaving the man waiting for a response. But then again, he’d waited this long, he could wait another minute while Belphegor collected himself.

“Look Belphie, I know that—” Diavolo started, but Belphegor was having none of it.

“A deal is a deal Diavolo, you told me so now it’s my turn,” Belphegor cut in.

Diavolo quickly shut up, face still uncertain and pale. It was only the weakened state of the demon that stopped Belphegor from dragging this out as a punishment for torturing Belphegor this long (okay sure, Belphegor could have confessed earlier, but he was going to blame Diavolo anyways).

“I think you’ll be happy to know that the truly horrible person that managed to put me through this bullshit disease totally against my will, but who I still can’t manage to hate anymore is…”

Diavolo held his breath, or maybe he had actually stopped breathing.

Well, Belphegor was a petty little shit, so could you blame him for adding a dramatic pause?

“…You.”

Belphegor watched as a range of emotions washed over Diavolo’s face, until it eventually began to glow in a way it hadn’t in a long time. Belphegor’s own grin took over his face as well.

“You mean it?” Diavolo asked but the large smile on his face seemed to know already.

“Yes Diavolo, it’s you.”

“Really?”

“Yes, now can you just—”

“Really really?”

Belphegor scoffed. “Idiot, you should know already, assuming you can actually breathe again.”

Diavolo placed a hand to his own chest and inhaled deeply as if testing the theory. Belphegor rolled his eyes at how unnecessary it all was.

Then he peered up with a look of certainty.

“I love you so much Belphie!” was the only warning Belphegor got before the larger man was pouncing onto him, making the bed squeak harshly.

Belphegor tried to protest but found himself laughing instead. He patted Diavolo’s head. “Yeah, yeah I know you do. I wish you’d said something earlier though.”

Diavolo chuckled where his head was situated next to Belphegor’s ear.

“Me too,” Diavolo said.

And when Diavolo leaned his face towards Belphegor, eyes darting back and forth between Belphegor’s face and his lips… well let’s just say kissing was easier when both parties could breathe properly.

***

“Hey Diavolo, I have a question,” Belphegor eyed his boyfriend from where they cuddled on the demon lord’s couch.

Doctor mandated rest wasn’t something Belphegor had turned down, even if Diavolo wasn’t one to enjoy lazing around. He complained less when Belphegor was with him. He didn’t complain at all when Lucifer and Belphegor’s other brothers were shooting him dirty looks.

“What is it?” Diavolo responded softly.

“Well, I did a lot of research on diseases while I was sick, I’m assuming you did as well,” Belphegor began.

Diavolo nodded, giving Belphegor a little squeeze and a peck to the forehead.

Yes, they had become the type of stupid lovey-dovey couple that Belphegor couldn’t stand, but Belphegor couldn’t care less. He liked cuddling the idiot who had almost died the most idiotic death of all time, and if someone had a problem they could say it to Belphegor’s face.

“Of course,” Diavolo confirmed.

Belphegor met Diavolo’s fond gaze and asked the question that had been haunting him all week.

“If we both had Hanahaki for each other, then the feelings weren’t unrequited. How the fuck did we both have the disease?”

Diavolo stared blankly for a second.

“I suppose it’s because we both assumed it was…” Diavolo said.

“No, the textbooks all say unrequited love, not perceived unrequited love!” Belphegor spouted angrily. “What a bullshit disease!”

Diavolo didn’t argue with him and hummed along.

Well whatever, Belphegor could complain all he wanted but the result was still in his favour.

Hanahaki disease: 0 Belphegor:2

One point for the bullshit disease not killing him, and one for the boyfriend he got along the way.

**Author's Note:**

> Belphegor being both perceptive and also the king of denial brings me such joy, I love him. Belpholo and Obey Me in general have definitely been dragging me steadily through 2020, so I hope ya'll enjoy this fic as well.
> 
> Also, I will be adding another chapter from Diavolo's perspective later since the big doofus deserves the spotlight too!


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